Freetrade vs EC Markets : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

Freetrade

EC Markets

Broker Overview

Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)

STP broker

Years of Existence / Established Year

2016

2011

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

1.5 M

No information

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FCA

FSA,FCA, FSC

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Online trading platform 2024

Best Trading Liquidity Award, Best Customer Awards

Security Measures

Yes

FSCS

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

6200+ U.S Treasury Bills, Investment trust

150+

Currency Pairs

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Indices

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

CFDs

ETFs

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Options

Futures

Bonds

Mutual Funds

Fractional Shares

Yes

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Precious Metals

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Yes

Equities

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

Yes

MT5

Yes

cTrader

Social Trading

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Freetrade web and mobile trading platform

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes except Mac

Account Types & Conditions

Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)

General investment account, Stocks and shares ISA, Personal pension account

Standard and ECN accounts

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Minimum Deposit

$10

Leverage Available

100:1

200:1 to 500:1

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

depends on asset class

Unlimited

Commission (per account type)

$0 for standard account, $5 per lot per side for ECN account

Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)

Beginners to experienced traders

Both beginners and experienced traders

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Bank transfer, debit card, Apple pay, google pay

Union Pay, OCT 365, Swift wire transfer, Indonesia bank ATM, Bank Transfer Malaysia, THAI QR payment,e-wallets

Withdrawal Methods

Linked bank account

Union Pay, OCT 365, Swift wire transfer, Indonesia bank ATM, Bank Transfer Malaysia, THAI QR payment, e-wallets

Other E-Wallets Supported

Apple pay , google pay

VN pay, PoLi.

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)

Learn (Trading Education), Freetrade Blog (Market Insights), Webinars, Investing Guides, Video Tutorials, Community Forum

Trading Education, Market Analysis, Webinars, eBooks and Guides, Video Tutorials, MT4 Indicator Plugin

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

FX fee of 0.59%

Spread for Std account: Starts from 1.0 pip, Spread for ECN accounts: Starts from 0.0 pips

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

Futures Contract Fees

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

100:1

500:1

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

£10.97

Deposit Fee

£5

Currency Conversion Fee

Exchange rate + 0.99%

Withdrawal Fee

£5

$0 bank fees may apply

Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Monday to Friday: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM GMT Monday to Friday: 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM ET (2:30 PM - 9:00 PM GMT) European Market Hours- Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM CET (8:00 AM - 4:30 PM GMT)

Varies by asset type

Customer Support

Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)

24/5

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Help hub, community forum, E-mail, Social media

Phone: +248 422 4099, E-mail: [email protected], Live chat

Support Languages

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Level 2, The Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London, England, E1 6QL

3rd Floor, 30 City Road, London, United Kingdom, EC1Y 2AY.

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

At TradingCritique, we don't just list brokers. We test, compare, and simplify your decision-making. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, our data-driven comparisons are built to match your trading style and region. Learn how we Evaluate a broker.

Freetrade stands out for its zero-commission trading model, appealing to cost-conscious investors. In contrast, EC Markets offers more comprehensive services with slightly higher fees, especially for advanced tools and asset classes.

Freetrade makes starting out easy with a simple application, especially for retail clients. EC Markets platform, while requiring more effort to join, allows experienced traders to customize their accounts from the start.

While Freetrade focuses on mobile-first design and clean user experience, EC Markets includes features like in-depth charting, integrated news feeds, and strong desktop performance.

If you're after professional-grade platforms, Freetrade may be ideal. For casual investors, EC Markets offers a low-barrier entry.

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